The Electric Bicycle
Veh. & Traf. Law § 1242 — sixteen to ride, and local rules on top
In New York, a bicycle with electric assist is no more than thirty-six inches wide, has operable pedals and a motor of less than seven hundred fifty watts. Class one assists only while pedaling and stops at twenty miles per hour; class two may propel the bicycle alone up to twenty miles per hour.
Class three is a city of a million. Class three, which may propel the bicycle alone up to twenty-five miles per hour, exists solely within a city having a population of one million or more.
Sixteen to operate. No person less than sixteen years of age may operate a bicycle with electric assist. Bicycles with electric assist follow the rules for bicycles, and a city, town or village may further regulate their time, place and manner of operation, including speed and protective headgear, or prohibit them.
| The assumption | What the law actually does |
|---|---|
| The assumptionA teenager can ride any e-bike | What the law actually doesNo one less than sixteen years of age may operate one |
| The assumptionState law is the only rule | What the law actually doesA city, town or village may further regulate or prohibit them |
Local ordinances, park and trail rules, and the rules for mopeds, motor scooters and other motorized devices are not all on this page. Whether a particular machine is an electric bicycle under the definition is a question for a licensed New York attorney.
Sources for this section (2)
- Veh. & Traf. Law § 1242 — Additional provisions applicable to bicycles with electric assist
- Veh. & Traf. Law § 102-c — Bicycle with electric assist
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed New York attorney.